DSLR Stitching Again

[David Luttmann]

Gordon,

I'd say that for me, in between 40" and 50" is the limit, depending on subject matter. Regardless of resolution and DR, there is a different look to both film and digital files. On some, I prefer the digital file....on others, I prefer film.

The funny thing about all this is when I do street/Doc work, I only use a 6mp DSLR as the final print size will be between 810x & 11X14. With all my preferences for digital because of lack of noise, when I process my street work to B&W, I use selective blurring and add a fair bit of grain in PS to give it a gritty B&W look....thus negating the advantages of noiseless digital files.

In the end, it depends on what we all want in the final product. In this case, I couldn't picture going back to my old Konica T3 and Ilford HP5....even though the end results prove similar.

That said, any of the landscape work I sell, is typically 11x14, 12x18 or 16x24....so I rarely need to worry about resolution and noise problems regardless of what method of capture I use.

[Gordon Moat]

I think we're discssing three or four different things -- gear, technique, technology and the process of making our own unique brand of art -- and perhaps a few of us are arguing (discussing?) at cross purposes.... . . . . .. . . . In the same breath I do not think having extraordinary print detail is the only (or perhaps even AN) important factor in generating good art. In fact I believe it may only be a technique that works well for certain types of images. Content is clearly a consideration as are color, shape, texture and form. . . . . . opposite end of the spectrum from Burtinsky is Frans Lanting. . . . . . most were shot on 35mm film then blown up big. . . . . .

I enjoy and appreciate both Burtinsky's and Lanting's work. . . . . . . . I even recently obtained a small point&shoot digicam to be ready for even more spontaneous image opportunities, as well as a specific tool to support my large format photography. So my gear circle is complete -- or rather my photographic tool chest is relatively full. Now all I need to do is go out and (learn to) use the tools I have (hopefully in a proficient manner) to make some good art

Cheers,

Thanks for posting this Jack. I am completely in agreement with you. Reminds me of a recent exhibit at MOPA that was all 35mm, and I saw many images that impressed me. I also like the work of Franz Lanting, Galen Rowell, and Thomas Mangelson (spelling?), even as large prints.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio

[David Luttmann]

40"x50" is the size Burtynsky is aiming for from many of is 4x5 negs - didn't look too muddy to me and he seems to do pretty well for sales...

Tim,

Sales have little to do with quality. We have all seen grainy 30" prints from 35mm that sell in huge quantities....so as a benchmark, it means little. That said, at 50", depending upon the film used, I have never had a problem seeing grain in the prints. Depends on how much grain you are willing to accept. As I normally add a tiny bit of noise to digital prints as a method of resolution dithering, it may or may not be an issue to most people.

[Gordon Moat]

Okay -- but the last large prints I saw myself were from his China shoot and they were all 8x10 (Phillips I think). I have not seen any of his 4x5 shots in erson, blown up large (I understand shipbreaking might have been 4x5?) Anyway, his 8x10's were impressive.

The images I saw of his were a mix of 4x5 and 8x10. It was tough to tell the difference on some, though on the really large prints I think it was a little easier to guess at which might be 8x10. His ship breaking images were impressive, and if I recall the interview with him correctly, those were done on 4x5. Seeing his 4x5 printed results was something that led me back to using a 4x5, even if I might never attain the level of printing quality he is reaching.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio

[Jack Flesher]

The images I saw of his were a mix of 4x5 and 8x10. It was tough to tell the difference on some, though on the really large prints I think it was a little easier to guess at which might be 8x10. A G Studio

Gordon, Tim:

Thanks for clarifying -- maybe I was assuming the prints I saw were all 8x10 because they were so detailed! Which now has me thinking I should just give up on photography altogether -- or at least could justify selling my 8x10 and sticking with the 4x5's

Cheers,

[gregstidham]

I saw a documentary on an Air Canada flight last month called "Manufactured Landscapes". The doc featured Burtynsky's work in China and some other places here in North America, but mostly China was the focus. I saw him using a Linhof Technika and also walking about with a Mamiya rangefinder. It's a worthwhile doc if the subject matter interests any of you.